


The Tanabata Kid

by AlolanLibra



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Birthday, Festivals, Fireworks, M/M, Post-Canon, Reunions, Tanabata
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-06-06 10:24:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15192749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlolanLibra/pseuds/AlolanLibra
Summary: Stunned into silence, Killua was disorientated by sudden tunnel vision. All other sound around him fell out of range, his senses only able to concentrate on the one calling his name. Tears prickled at his eyes but, for the first time in a long time, they were accompanied by an overwhelming feeling of excitement. From within, he felt a building pressure that was unknown to him – as if he was going to burst from inside out. His heart swelled, his lungs threatening to burst, expanding painfully against his ribcage. His mouth fell agape. This was more of a surprise than he’d expected.Killua gets a festival for his birthday... along with a long-awaited, well deserved gift. Happy Birthday, Kil.





	The Tanabata Kid

**Author's Note:**

> I have wanted to write this since Killua's last birthday - so I hope everyone reading this can enjoy it!! This story was originally inspired by the beautiful work of @kasurias which you can see [here](https://twitter.com/kasurias/status/883002581768949760), please check her beautiful art out! I loved the idea of incorporating Tanabata with Killugon so I'm v glad I've been able to do this for 7/7 this year - please let me know what you think in the comments (and leave kudos if you see fit hehe)! Thank you for reading!!

The day was hazy with heat from sunrise. Every year it was like this — heat rising in waves off the dusty ground, warping the streets into a hysterical vision of summer. Paled dirt rose in stifling, airless clouds as Killua’s shoes scuffed the road beneath with every step.

“Onii-chan,” Alluka’s voice wailed out, “do you have to kick the dust up like that?! You’re dirtying my dress!”

Killua turned to see the distress in his sister’s oceanic eyes and he half smiled with amusement. “Your fault for wearing baby pink in this desert weather!” He teased, fully turning his body to face her, poking his tongue out. He began to walk backwards, smugly keeping his eyes on her look of frustration.

“Well,” she crossed her arms, swiftly dodging his attempt to reach over and ruffle her hair, “I wanted to look nice for this special day!” She beamed at him with the mention of it, forgetting all her previous annoyance. Her hands were now clasped together, her long, dark hair still bouncing freely around her face in the heavy heat.

Killua rolled his eyes but couldn’t quite wipe the smile off his face. When he looked back to Alluka, she was still smiling with anticipation. It was a suspicious look. “What?” His eyebrow quirked, “what have you got planned?”

“Nothing, Onii-chan!” She shut her eyes, now mockingly secretive. “I’m just looking forward to giving you your present.” Her expression was smug and her nose high in the air as she walked.

Killua sighed, turning to walk forwards again. The pair had been travelling for over a year now, and he had been so excited to be with his sister that he barely kept track of the days gone by. So much so, that he kept forgetting that today was his sixteenth birthday. Alluka tittered on and on, her sweet voice like a tinkling bell above the nearing noise of people, drifting in and out of Killua’s attention span. It was more thinking aloud than making conversation, so she didn’t seem to notice her brother’s wandering mind either. More than anything, the pair appreciated each other’s companionship, with or without captivating conversation.

A couple of gulls swooped low overhead and followed the narrowing street between old wooden structures. The siblings roamed closer into a town now, though Killua had hardly been aware of their descent on the place. As they’d been discovering new things every day, Killua had lost track of how long his hair had grown, and how many inches taller he was since he’d left World Tree with Alluka in tow. The arrival of his birthday had delivered him into contemplation about how many days, weeks, months had passed since that time. He didn’t feel overly sad about it, it was just time passing after all. He was grateful for every day he got to spend with his sister, and every day he didn’t have to hear from the rest of his family. Though, when he excessively considered the last eighteen months or so, there was often a sharp pain that would come shooting through his chest. He had done well to bury this feeling somewhere so deep it couldn’t bother him on a normal day, but he knew exactly from where it stemmed. He banished thoughts of the World Tree so his heart wouldn’t have to hurt anymore. It was mostly just easier that way.

Suddenly, amid Killua’s daydream, he noticed Alluka’s tone dip and she fell silent. It was then that it dawned on Killua that she had begun leading the way, walking in front of him as he’d slipped into his reverie. They had come to a square in what was now a vaguely familiar town. Dirt paths had led onto cobbled streets, and bright paper streamers hung amidst old terraced housing. In the centre of the square, there stood an archaic stone water fountain, which bore the words _Zaban City c. 1623_ in vaguely etched letters. There was nothing particularly remarkable about the place, though it was clear to see the city was teeming with energy. A few children could be seen running through the square, boasting kites and decorations that would be fitting for most royal celebrations. Arched above the fountain was a banner that read _TANABATA FESTIVAL WELCOMES ALL_ in an ethereal font. Zaban City was somewhere Killua had visited once before, briefly during the process to gain his Hunter License, though he had never heard of any such festival. Though the words meant nothing to either of them, Alluka’s eyes were wide with anticipation, her mouth slightly agape. She wondered at the quaint, decorative town they had found themselves in, now abnormally quiet with awe. Killua lived to see her like this, as it was just what he’d wanted for her after being holed up in their family mansion for eleven years. Notes of a foreign melody were present through the streets, seemingly drifting towards them from another part of the city.

Alluka was now bristling with excitement, and could no longer contain her inner desires. “Oh, can we see where that music is coming from? Please Onii-chan!”

Killua and Alluka wandered further into the thick of things – darting between families brandishing lanterns in regal hues, avoiding the gaze of any merchant who would attempt to barter needless junk for spare jenny – before the crowds broke at a river. The lucent water stretched about 30 metres wide, and harboured many people at its banks. Children were throwing decorated bamboo sticks and watching them float weightlessly away, until out of sight in the summer haze. The place was so much more lively than Killua could remember, and he suddenly realised how coincidental it was that they had ended up in a town which was celebrating a festival on this particular day.

“Was this my surprise?” Killua’s questioning tone was genuine if a little strained as he was forced to raise his voice above the din.

Alluka’s face flashed with a look of confusion, as if forgetting the taunts she had made earlier. An inquisitive frown dissipated, though, when she made eye contact with her brother. “Eh… sort of,” she had a look of sheepishness now, but carried on, a grin spreading across her dainty features, “but this isn’t the best part!”

Killua shrugged the ambiguous response off, eyes back on the surrounding hoards again. It had been a while since they had been amongst a big crowd like this, and his senses were slightly stunted by it all. Wandering around the world with only his sister to please didn’t often bring them to bustling cities — they had been busy seeing how many magical beasts they could spot in forests, what kind of food there was to eat in rural villages, and all the different views from mountains that weren’t the one they grew up on. He hadn’t wanted to corrupt her with the likes of big cities and concrete jungles just yet. Thus, he’d grown unused to this sort of setting. His main concern was keeping Alluka safe, but there was something more distracting than usual about this place. They had fleetingly visited Yorknew before, so the busyness wasn’t totally new to them. As much as Killua protested for the benefit of her safety, Alluka often insisted on being in amongst the hubbub. He knew it wouldn’t have been long before she’d wanted to run herself ragged in gargantuan shopping malls, or attend humming festivals like this one — this had just caught him off guard, he guessed. Still, he felt strangely faraway, like his brain could sense something else going on but not pinpoint it in the slightest. Then, through the ceaseless noise of the crowds painted in bright colours and glossy silks, Killua ears abruptly pricked up at something familiar. The sound came from across the river, somewhere within the swathes of festival garb. It wasn’t particularly high pitched or loud above everybody else, it just snatched his attention and caught the breath in his throat. A voice he knew all too well. A laugh, tinkling like a bell, that would never escape his dreams. A tone that triggered that same sharp pain in his chest. He knew it so well he almost couldn’t put a face to it, his memory struggling to place the encapsulating sound. It wasn’t until his line of sight snagged on a long, wobbling fishing pole, protruding from the top of the crowd, that he froze. Before he could react, his realisation slower than was natural for him, he spotted the face of its wielder. Round amber eyes, glimmering in the refracted light of the water at their feet, widened and shone as a moment of realisation was shared between the two boys.

“KILLUA!” The familiar voice bellowed above the noise, now stupidly recognisable.

Stunned into silence, Killua was disorientated by sudden tunnel vision. All other sound around him fell out of range, his senses only able to concentrate on the one calling his name. Tears prickled at his eyes but, for the first time in a long time, they were accompanied by an overwhelming feeling of excitement. From within, he felt a building pressure that was unknown to him – as if he was going to burst from inside out. His heart swelled, his lungs threatening to burst, expanding painfully against his ribcage. His mouth fell agape. This was more of a surprise than he’d expected.

Alluka hollered back to Gon – or tried, at least – against the festive uproar. The sound of his sister’s voice validating that what he saw across the river was more than a wishful act of his imagination brought him up out of his trance. He glanced to her, and then back to his best friend, a wide grin now impossible for his features to deny.

The pair were suddenly running, parallel to one another as they skirted the river’s banks, looking for a break in the crowds. People were sporadically scattered across the waterline, causing them to weave and bob through clusters of brightly-dressed friends and families for a few hundred yards before there was a way through. Gon made it to a gap first, not hesitating to launch himself from the grassy bank across the wide body of water. His leap had so much momentum he made it with ease, garnering an outburst of spontaneous applause from the surrounding people upon landing. He rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled bashfully, barely hesitating before continuing to run towards his target. The scenario quickly became like a game of chicken, the two boys facing each other head on as they both hurtled forwards. Neither of them gave up their determination, eventually crashing their bodies together and landing in a heap, limbs entwined. Giggling erupted from deep within their chests, bubbling past their lips as they were overcome by hysterical happiness. They untangled themselves, rolling to lie back in the grass in an attempt to gain some control of themselves.

Catching his breath, Killua finally managed a greeting with his estranged best friend. “G-Gon,” he heaved, still stifling laughter, “wh-what are you… doing here?”

Gon’s eyes sparkled again, dazzling in the late afternoon sun with what looked like overwhelmed tears. “Alluka… she invited… your birthday,” his unintelligible answer was rounded off with a lunge towards Killua, his arms swiftly vining around the pale boy’s neck. “I’m so happy I could come! Happy birthday, Killua!”

Killua chuckled, hardly repressing the deep blush he could feel crawling across his face. Gon’s embrace was warm and friendly — the perfect birthday present. He reached his own arms around to return the hug. He could have happily stayed like that all day, was it not for the crowd of watching eyes around them, and the impatient tapping of his sister’s plimsole.

“Sorry to break up the love-fest,” she stood almost over them now, her arms crossed with a smug smile on her face, “but I really think I ought to be in on the action — you know, since I’m the one who brought this whole plan together.” Killua could barely tell as she stood against the sun, but he knew hers was the look of a satisfied winner.

Almost reluctant to let go, Gon dug his head up from the crook of Killua’s neck and looked towards her now. “Alluka!” This time he was more gentle as he pulled her in for a hug, “you have grown so much taller,” he muttered and he squeezed her as her own brother would. “Thank you so much for the invite!”

Alluka grinned and patted down her dress, reorganising herself as she said, “I’m just so glad you could make it!” She turned then to her brother, who now stood with a badly-masked look of elation on his face. “Happy birthday, Onii-chan,” she smiled, adding with a whisper, “this was your surprise, by the way!”

“Th-thank you, Alluka,” he seemed to be struggling for words, his voice wavering slightly. “You have no idea how happy I am,” his eyes were shaded by fluffy white hair as he lowered his gaze.

She beamed and took on a proud tone, obviously delighted that her plan had been a success. “Well it actually all started when Gon asked what he should get you this year,” she poked a finger into her chin as if musing, “and I thought, what could brother want more than anything from his long-lost best friend? And that was easy!” She giggled, hand now moving to cover her mouth.

“It worked out perfectly too!” Gon was still radiant with excitement, “You guys just happened to be round the corner from Zaban, and I knew they did a big celebration for Tanabata here — so what better place to meet?”

“Oh, yeah, I never even asked,” Alluka’s face was now gormless with a childlike curiosity, “what’s Tanabata?”

He grinned at the opportunity to introduce a pair of novices to the ancient custom. “Tanabata is a festival held every year on the 7th day of the 7th month… to be honest, I’m surprised you hadn’t heard of it, Killua!” He smiled and continued to explain the festival’s legend to a very animated Alluka. It was all centred around long-distance lovers, who were separated by the maiden’s father, but got the chance to meet once a year on this day. “They say that now, the lovers are represented by two stars in the sky, and can be seen if it’s a clear night!” They celebrated it on Whale Island, he told them, though not nearly to the extent of Zaban’s convivialities.

Killua had fallen quiet, a small smile planted firmly on his face. As much as he hated getting over-emotional in front of others, he was worried if he’d opened his mouth all his horribly uncontrollable feelings would pour out at once. It was surreal, though; the sound, the sight, the very real material of Gon in front of Killua’s eyes. Hearing Gon describing the food they had at each market stall and the symbolism of each paper decoration made him feel like he was having a lucid dream. Walking next to him was even more unbelievable. It was as if they’d never parted all those months ago — like they were back roaming the streets of Yorknew or Greed Island again. It would take Killua a little while, but he would eventually sink back into his old habits with his best friend; chastising him, calling him stupid, laughing and playing jokes as they explored the festival’s wonders. He just needed to realise this was real — that he could really feel this full.

* * * * *

Alluka’s yukata was predominantly black and white, detailed with a teal satin sash that shone with the iridescence of a corvid’s feathers. Her jet black hair was half pulled back, exposing her fair skin and cerulean eyes. She made her way to the table with the grace of a young woman ten years her senior. She had matured considerably after spending the last couple years with Killua.

“You look beautiful, Alluka,” Gon was shamelessly honest when she reached their table. Killua hummed in agreement, an expression of protective pride gracing his face.

She blushed slightly, giggling, “thank you, Gon!” She opened her eyes wide with a small grin on her face, taking the seat next to her brother. “We’ve so missed having you around,” her equally honest tone was directed at the boy sat opposite, and she added without thinking, “well, Onii-chan especially missed you…”

Killua grunted in protest, his own cheeks growing pink now, “oi, Alluka!”

Gon just laughed, unphased while Killua felt enough embarrassment for the pair of them. “You guys are just the same as always.” He paused for a second, looking down reflectively into his tea, “it’s been weird to be without you… Whale Island didn’t even really feel like home when I first went back…”

Killua knew this second part was directed at him. While the notion of Gon feeling alone clawed at his heart, he couldn’t help but feel some sort of relief, as he had felt exactly the same. He poked a little at his ramen before gorging another mouthful. After a full day at the festival — finding a place to stay for the night, taking part in the novel traditions and finding themselves appropriate Tanabata-dress — they had finally settled on one of the many street food stalls to eat at. Alluka had told them to get a table while she finished getting ready, as naturally the boys had slipped into their outfits, Killua’s pink and Gon’s green, in record timing. They all ordered traditional noodle dishes and fried dumplings, with a side of matcha tea, as they’d learned was a custom of Zaban during any festival. Conversation flowed naturally as they ate, the two boys laughing and comparing stories of ridiculous trips or adventures they’d undergone in their time apart. Alluka enjoyed watching them catch up, and couldn’t help but wonder why they hadn’t done this sooner. She knew even her heart would hurt when she had to watch them say goodbye again. Eventually, their stories descended into a quibble about who would be the least scared in scenario (x), so she decided it was an appropriate time to intervene.

“The fireworks start at eight,” Alluka broke through the boys’ nonsensical bickering without a care, “so we’d better make sure we make it out of here with enough time to get a good spot!”

“Fireworks?” Killua’s mouth was half full with noodles. He felt mortified at the thought that this might be another surprise orchestrated by his sister. “It’s only my sixteenth birthday! I’m not getting married!”

Gon burst into laughter, barely slurping up his own dangling noodle back in time. “Sorry Killua, but these fireworks aren’t for you,” he spluttered, “they have them every year at the Tanabata festival.”

Killua guffawed slightly, “it was a joke, you idiot!” He blushed a pink which matched his yakuta.

Gon and Alluka both rolled their eyes at his white lie. Finishing up their dinner, they forked out another couple hundred jenny and moved on with the now growing crowds back towards the river where they had met earlier that day. The sun was just setting, tinging clouds overhead a sweet coral-orange colour. The three got a spot right on the river bank, just steps away from where they’d reunited. People sat and dipped their toes in the water while they waited for night to fall, and some children still played in shallower parts.

“Oh!” Alluka suddenly exclaimed, rifling through her small rucksack, “I got these for us, since we didn’t get a chance to do them earlier!” She pulled out three shoots of bamboo from her bag, along with several colourful clumps of paper.

“Ah, tanzaku!” Gon was pleased with her organisation, “thank you Alluka, I would have forgotten otherwise!”

“A tan-what now?” Killua still hadn’t grasped all of the festival’s traditions.

Alluka tutted at him, “I learned earlier, a tanzaku is like a little wish that people write for the festival — it can be about anything, good fortune, health, wealth, prosperity — and then they attach them to the bamboo and send them down the river!” She clapped her hands together, “fun right?”

“I already know what mine’s gunna say!” Gon grabbed a blue strip of paper and fiddled in his pocket for a pen.

The three teenagers sat in the fading light, scribbling out a couple wishes each. After binding them to the branches, as Alluka insisted they do so neatly with a bow, they counted down and tossed their private prayers down the river, watching until they drifted beyond visibility.

“Hey, Onii-chan, what did you write on yours?”

Killua scoffed, “I can’t tell you! It’s a secret, right Gon?”

“Sorry Alluka, but he’s right” he shrugged with his palms to the sky. Killua stuck his tongue out at his sister and she retorted with a playful swipe.

The dark was now drawing in and all stood for the imminent beginning of the show. The fireworks were immense, all in shades of pink and green. The vibrant explosions went on and on, bursting from big to huge to huger. They lit the three faces watching, gasping, laughing when one of them flinched at the thunderous cracks of the rockets. After the show had finished, Alluka announced she was going to get mochi balls for everyone and the boys yelped their choices of flavour, alongside a “be careful”, at her before she dashed out of earshot. Killua watched her go, as only an overprotective sibling would, before he felt another pair of eyes resting on his own face.

“Killua,” Gon’s voice was surprisingly soft considering the noise of the evaporating audience. “I just wanted to say,” he swallowed hard, “I’ve had the best day with you and, I wanted to tell you… I’m sorry.” His voice was emotionally heavy.

The white-haired boy hoped his blush wouldn’t show in the dimmed half-light of the lanterns hanging above their heads. “What? What are you even apologising for?” He asked, though he already knew exactly what for.

“I’m sorry…” Gon seemed to contemplate it, or at least how to get it out. “I’m sorry I haven’t been here. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to meet you again. I’m sorry because you’re my best friend, and I said we would be together but we haven’t!” The pain in his voice was clear, though he was barely whispering now. “I’m sorry for everything… everything that happened in NGL, you know…”

At this, Killua shot a look that told him he didn’t need to say it. After a moment’s silence, when Gon didn’t speak again, he let his own floodgates open. “You— it’s okay, Gon. You don’t need to be sorry about all those things,” he sighed. “I’m sorry I left you at the World Tree. After everything that happened, I needed to just be with Alluka… for myself, and for her. It was hard to leave you but, I guess, it was good for us to have some time alone.”

Gon shook his head at this, “I don’t think that, Killua.” He was firm in his resolve, explaining his point, “there wasn’t a day I had that I didn’t think of you — that there wasn’t something I wanted to show you or tell you about, but…” he trailed off, the desperation in his voice now obvious, “you were _so_ far away.”

“Then why didn’t you just email me?” Killua struggled not to sound frustrated now. “I told you you should always write if you wanted to!”

“Well, because,” Gon pushed his index fingers together, looking embarrassed of what he was about to say, “I didn’t think you wanted me to bug you all the time… especially not after what I’d done.”

Killua exhaled slowly. “Gon, do you seriously not think I felt the same way about you?”

Gon’s eyes shone as he returned Killua’s gaze for the first time since his apology. “I—”

“I miss you everyday, stupid.” Killua kept going for want of keeping Gon from crying, “if anything, I didn’t think you’d wanna hear from me everyday… I didn’t want to distract you or make you feel bad by going on about Alluka and everything we were doing… because, I knew you’ve been stuck on Whale Island.” He felt a pang of regret as the last part slipped past his teeth. “I just, I wished you’d have been with us.”

Gon’s eyes were watery and huge when Killua looked up. The dark haired boy wailed slightly, “I wish I’d been there too.” He sniffed as the first tears fell, “I wish I could always be there.”

“It doesn’t matter Gon,” Killua could hear his own voice breaking now, the prickly heat of tears threatening his own nerve, “it’s all in the past now.” He wiped across his eyes with his long sleeve. “Plus, now you can be.”

Gon blinked, “what do you mean?”

“You can be with us now,” he tried to smile, afraid his heart would burst. “Now that you’re here, you can stay… right?” His voice wobbled at the end, though it was taking every ounce of willpower he had to stay calm.

Gon’s grin grew immeasurably, spreading across the entirety of his face. “Is that really okay, Killua?”

“Idiot! Why would I say it if I didn’t mean it?” Killua’s words contrasted the smile on his face.

Gon sniffed, “thank you, Killua!” He suddenly started to laugh like a maniac, almost doubling over.

“Um, Gon? Are you okay?” Killua bent round to see his face, “or have you finally completely lost it?”

“No, it’s just,” Gon stopped his laughter and straightened up, looking Killua in the eyes, “my tanzaku wish came true already.”

Killua’s mouth dropped, before the smile quickly found his lips again. “So did mine.”


End file.
